Apparatus for cutting and folding paper, &amp;c.



No. 668,393. Patented Fab. l9, I901.

R. C. SEYMOUR. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND FOLDING PAPER, 8w

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 668,393; Patented Feb. [9, l90l.

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No. 668,393. Patented Feb. l9, [90L R. c. savmnun.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND FULDING PAPER, 8w.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.) 8M 5 Shaeta-Shest 3.

No. 668,393. Patented Feb. 19, 190m B. c. szvmoun.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND FOLDING PAPER, 8w. (Applichtion filed Sept.29, 1900.)

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APPARATUS FORv CUTTING AND FOLDING PAPER, 8w, (Application filed Sept.29, 1900.\ (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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RALPH O. SEYMOUR, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO C. B;OOTTRELL (it SONS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND STONINGTON,

CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND FOLDING PAPER, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,393, dated February19, 1901i.

Application filed September 29, 1900. Serial No. 31,489. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH O. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the UnitedStates,.and a resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatusfor Outting and Folding Paper and other Fabrics, of which the followingis a specification.

A cutting and folding apparatus embodying the present invention includesas its folding devices a slotted table upon which the sheet to be foldedis placed, a blade situated at the face of said table and presentededgewise opposite to the slot therein, and reciprocating gripping-jawsoperating through said slot to first crease the sheet over the edge ofsaid blade in the intended line of fold and to afterward complete thefolding of the socreased sheet by drawing it from said blade and throughsaid slot. In combination with such folding devices the said inventionincludes cutting or slitting devices, on opposite sides of which thereare two sets of such folding devices for the purpose of first creasingin two places preparatory to the fold ing a sheet which has been placedupon the folding-table, next slitting said sheet into two smaller sheetsbetween the creases, and finally folding the said smaller sheets on thelines of the creases.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of acutting and folding apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is aleft-hand side elevation corresponding with Fig. 1. In both of theseviews parts of the framing are omitted to show the working parts. Figs.3, 4c, 5, and 6 are front views, on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2,of the folding devices, showing the moving parts thereof in fourdifferent positions. Figs. 7 and 8 are views of details of the foldingdevices which will be hereinafter explainedl Fig. 9 represents avertical section on a plane parallel with Fig. 1 of the folding-tableand the carrying-tapes for depositing the sheets thereon.

(t a designate the stationary framing, on which sheets to be out andfolded-are deposited by any suitable means. This table is represented inFig. l as wide enough for the reception of a sheet which is to be slitcentrally by suitably-arranged shears c d, Fig. l, to divide it into twosmaller sheets. 'On op posite sides of and parallel with these shears atsuitable equal distances there are provided in the table twofolding-slots 10, one for folding one and the other for folding theother of said smaller sheets, which may be hereinafter referred to asout sheets. Over each of the slots 10 there is arranged at the face ofor above the table I) the creasing-blade e, the edge of which ispresented downward opposite to and parallel with the slot 10. Under orat the back of the table opposite the slot 10 are arranged thegripping-jaws or grippers fg, of which there are two sets, one set foreach of the creasing-blades 6, each set consisting of as many alinedpairs as may be nebessary, according to the length of the fold to bemade. The further description of one of these creasing-blades and itscorresponding set of grippers and their appurtenances which I will nowproceed to give with reference to Figs. 3, 4., 5 and 6 will apply toboth of said blades and their corresponding sets of grippers.

The creasing-blade e is represent-ed as rigidly secured to a stock h,below which its edge projects some distance. This stock h is pivoted atits ends by pivots i to bearing-blocks jon the framing a and is capableof an oscillating movement about those pivots which gives its projectingedge both a slight risingand-falling movement and a slight lateralmovement, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, which represent thestock and blade in four difierent positions. This movement of the bladeand its purpose will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The grippers are attached to a carrier 70, which consists of a bar whichis arranged to reciprocate vertically in upright guides l, bolted ontothe framing a (L. These guides are omitted from Figs. 3, 4., 5, and 6,but are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The reciprocating l movement of the saidcarrier is produced by rods 19, connecting its ends 21 with cranks 20 ona rotary shaft w, arranged in suitable fixed bearings 00 on the lowerpart of the One member f of each pair of framing a.

grippers is, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which represent transversesections of the grippers and carrier, rigidly secured on the top of thecarrier 70, and the other member g is carried by a small rock-shaft m,which is common to all of the members g and runs the whole length of thecarrier k, on which suitable bearings u (see Fig. 2) are provided forsaid rock-shaft. The said rock-shaft has on one end a downwardprojection in the form of a lever-arm 0 (see Figs- 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7)for the purpose of operating it to give the gripper members g theiropening-and -closing movement. The said members are closed and keptnormally closed by means of a springp, applied in any suitable manner.In the example represented the said spring is coiled upon a rod q, oneend of which is piv oted at 11 to the carrier 70 and which passesthrough a lug r, Fig. 7, which is pivoted at 12 to the lever-arm 0. Thesaid spring has its abutment at one end against the lug r and at theother end against an adjusting-nut 8, applied toa screw-thread on therod. The opening of the gripper members 9 has to take place twice foreach creasing and folding 1novement-viz., just before the completion ofthe upward movement of the carrier and just before the termination ofthe downward movement of the latter. These openingmovements are producedthrough a lever t, which works on a fixed fulcrum u and is operated by acam '12 on the rotary shaft to, before mentioned. The lever-arm 0 on thegripper rockshaft m is furnished at its end with a roller .2, which runsup and down the back of a rib 13 on the lever 25. The upper openingmovement of the grippers is produced, as shown in Fig. 5, by themovement of the levert produced by the ofiset portion 14 of the cam Q),and their lower opening movement is produced, as shown in Fig. 6, by theroller .2 running down againstacam-curve 15 on the lower part of the rib13, while the lever iis held stationary on a concentric portion of therotary cam U by means of a spring 16, which is applied between saidlever and a fixed bracket 17 on the framing a.

The movement of the creasing-b1adee,herein-above mentioned, is producedby a wedgelike cam 18, carried by and projecting upward from thegripper-carrier 7a, the said cam 18 acting upon the arm 22 of a lever 2223, which is attached to one end of the creasingblade stock it for thepurpose of giving the said stock the oscillating movement hereinbeforementioned. When the said stock is in its operative position, with theblade e ver tical or perpendicular to the face of the table '1) and itslower edge opposite the center of the slot 10 therein, as shown in Figs.4 and 5, the stock and blade are held rigidly in that position by theaction of the cam 18 against the shoe 24 on the downwardly-projectinglever-arm 23, which holds the upwardly-projecting lever-arm 22 against afixed stop 25, secured to the framing. This shoe 24 is adjustable on thelever by a screw 26, so that the lever may be so locked between the cam18 and stop 25 that there may be no play of the blade e and no deviationfrom the operative position aforesaid while the grippers are taking thesheet. When the lever is not so locked, the blade is held in theinclined position with its edge slightly raised, as shown in Fig. 4, bya spring 28, which is coiled upon a push-rod 27, which is connected withthe arm 22 of the lever and works through a fixed eye 27*, whichconstitutes the abutment for the said spring.

For feeding the sheet to the table b any suitable means may be employed.I have represented for that purpose in Figs. 1 and 2, and particularlyin Fig. 9, sheet-carrying devices consisting of tapes 3O 31 32 33, alldriven in a direction parallel with the slots 10 from pulleys 34 on ashaft 35, the tapes running on said pulleys 34 and on rolls 36, thetapes 31 running on said pulleys 34 and on rolls 37 38, the tapes 32running on rolls 39 40, and the tapes 33 running on the rolls 39 41 4243; but as these carrying devices are not claimed as parts of thepresent invention I have merely explained them so far as they appear inthe drawings sufficiently to prevent. their confusion with other partsof the mechism, and it is sufficient to say further with respect to themthat they move in a direction parallel with the lines on which thesheets are to be cut and folded and on depositing the sheets on thetable 1) they carry them up to a stop 44, arranged on the said tabletrans- Versely to its slots 10.

The slitting-cutters c d, hereinbefore mentioned, for dividing into twosheets each of the sheets deposited on the table b are shown in Fig. 1as consisting of a stationary cutter d and a reciprocating cutter c. Thestationary cutter d is supported in a stock 45 below the table, and itscutting upper edge projects upward through a slot in the table. Thereciprocating cutter is secured in a stock 46, which works in verticalguides 47 (see Fig. 1)

and which derives its reciprocating motion from a cam 48 on a rotaryshaft 49, working in bearings 50 on the upper part of the framing.

. The shaft u for producing the reciprocating movement of thegripper-carrier 7c, the shaft 35 for driving the feeding-tapes, and thecam-shaft 49 for operating the slitting-blade 0 may be driven by anysuitable means. In

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings .all are represented as driven by gearingfrom a shaft 51.

Having now separately described the several parts which togetherconstitute my invention and their operating mechanism and movements, Iwill before describing their combined operations state that the purposeof the lateral movements of the two blades 6, hereinbefore described, isto provide for the folding exactly in the middle of the two out sheetsproduced by the slitting-cutters 0 cl from the sheet which is fed ontothe table I). To insure this exact folding, the preliminary creasingproduced by the combined action of said blade and the grippers should beperformed before the slitting, and in order that this may be done it isnecessary that the lateral gathering in of the sheet which is necessaryto form the crease or bight of the fold should be all from the outeredges thereof toward the middle.

The combined operations of the two sets of creasing and folding devicesand the slittingcutters will now be described with reference to Figs. 1,3, 4, 5, and 6. I will first suppose the sheet to have been justdeposited upon the table with its head or front edge up to the stop 44.The creasing and folding devices will then be in the respectivepositions shown in Fig. 3, the grippers, which are open, having by theupward movement of the carrier been brought to a short distance belowthe table 5 and the downward movement of the blades 6 having beencommenced by the action of the cam 18 on the lower part of the lever-arm23. The continued upward movement of the carriers 70 raises the pointsof their gripper membersf through the slots 10 in the table and at thesame time so brings the cams .18 into operation on the shoes 24 that theblades 6 strike the sheet and move downward and laterally toward thegripper members f nearly to the upright position shown in Fig. 4, and sogather in the paper from the side edges toward the middle of the sheetfor the commencement of the formation of the creases or bights of thefolds to be made therein, the blades and their respective grippermembersf being now side by side in near proximity to each other, withonly space enough between them to allow free movement of paperbetweenthemin both directions from the edges of the sheet. The furthercontinued upward movement of the carriers causes the earns 18 to producethe final descent of the blades, which then pinch the paper against thegrippersf. At this moment the movement of the cutter 0 takes place andthe sheet is cut in two, and immediately afterward the levers t, fallingover the edges of the oifsets l4 oftheir cams o, liberate the lever-armso of the gripper rock-shafts m. The springs 19 then acting on said arms0 will instantaneously close the gripper members 9 upon the paperbetween them and the blade 9, as shown in Fig. 5, and so complete thebights of the folds of the two out sheets, leaving the paper grippedbetween the two members of the grippers and the blade 6. The carrier isthen descending, the grippers draw the bights of the folds from theblades and so grip the two out sheets as to draw them down through theslots of the table I), and thus complete the folds. After the folds havebeen thus completed the downward movement of the carriers and grippersis continued far enough to carry the rollers a down the cam-curves 15 onthe levers t, and thereby to produce the open ing of the grippers, asillustrated in Fig. 6,

and the liberation of the folded sheet, which may be carried away by anysuitable means out of the way of the grippers, which after theliberation of one sheet ascend with their carriers to take a new sheet.

It may be observed that in the operation of this apparatus thefolding-blade 6 never enters the slot in the table and never descendsbelow the face of the sheet laid fiat on the table. The creasing orcommencement of the fold is performed by the grippers passing upwardthrough the slot in the table and carrying the sheet up on oppositesides of the blade. The slot in the table has nothing whatever to dowith the creasing, that being done by the grippers and the folding-bladeabove the table.

Although I at present consider it preferable to so time the operationsof the creasing, cutting, and folding devices that the preliminarycreasing to form the bight of the fold should be performed before thecutting of the sheet, as above described, the said operations may be sotimed that the cutting will be performed before the commencement of thecreasing.

The means for removing the folded cut sheets after their liberation fromthe grippers may be of any known or suitable kind as, for example,horizontally-moving packers 52, working through the bottoms ofpackingboxes 53, into which the sheets drop edgewise from the grippers.These packers are represented as sliding on stationary guide rods 54 andoperated by cams 55 on the two shafts w through levers 56, which work onfulcrums 57 and are connected with said packers.

It is obvious that the folding devices herein described may fold at thesame time a plurality of superposed sheets or a sheet which has beenpreviously folded and which is presented in two or more thicknesses tosuch devices.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. ln sheet-folding apparatus, thecombination of a blade and reciprocating grippingjaws for creasing thesheet over the edge of said blade preparatory to folding and withdrawingthe so-creased sheet from said blade, substantially herein described.

2. In sheet-folding apparatus, the combination of a blade andspring-closed reciproeating gripping-jaws for creasing the sheet overthe edge of said blade preparatory to folding and withdrawing theso-creased sheet from said blade, substantially as herein described.

3. In folding apparatus, the combination of a table having a slottherein, a blade situated at the face of said table and presentededgewise opposite said slot, and reciprocating gripping-jaws operatingthrough said slot from the back of said table first to crease and gripthe sheet upon said blade and afterward draw it therefrom through saidslot in a folded condition, substantially as herein described.

4. In folding apparatus, the combination of a table having a slottherein, a blade situated at the face of said table presented edgewiseopposite said slot,reciprocating grippingjaws arranged opposite saidslot and blade, means for moving said gripping-jaws to and from saidblade through said slot, and means for opening and closing said jaws,substan-' table, and means for producing the movements of the lattermember for grasping and liberating the sheet, substantially as hereindescribed.

6. In folding apparatus, the combination of a table having a slottherein, a creasing-blade situated entirely at the face of said tableand having a lateral movement transverse to the length of said slot, andgripping-jaws operating through said slot first to crease and grip thesheet on said blade and afterward to withdraw it therefrom through saidslot, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

7. In folding apparatus, the combination of a slotted table, areciprocating gripper-carrier at the back of said table, grippers, onemember of which is fixedly attached to said carrier, and the othermember of which is movably attached thereto, a creasing-blade situatedentirely at the face of said table, means for producing a lateralmovement of said blade toward and from the said fixedlyattached grippermember,and means for moving said movably-attached gripper member towardand from the said blade, substantially as herein described.

8. In folding apparatus, the combination of a table having a slottherein, a reciprocating gripper-carrier at the back of said table,grippers, one member of which is fixedly attached to said carrier andthe other member of which is pivoted to said carrier, a creasing-bladesituated entirely at the face of said table, means for producing amovement of said blade both toward and from the table and toward andfrom said fixedly-attached gripper member while said member protrudesthrough the slot in the table, a stop for arresting said blade in aposition perpendicular to the table and opposite the slot therein, andmeans for moving said pivoted gripper member within said slot toward andfrom said blade, substantially as herein described.

9. In folding apparatus, the combination of a slotted table, anoscillating stock carrying a creasing-blade at the face of said table, areciprocating gripper-carrier at the back of said table, grippers, onemember of which is fixedly attached to said carrier, and the othermember of which is pivoted thereto, means for moving said pivotedgripper member for opening and closing the jaws of the grippers, and acam on the gripper-carrier for acting on a projection from said stockfor producing the movement of the creasing-blade toward and from saidfixedly-attached gripper member, substantially as herein described.

10. In folding apparatus,the combination of a table having a slottherein, a creasing-blade situated at the face of the table andpresented edgewise opposite said slot at the face of said table, agripper-carrier having a reciprocating movement toward said table at theback thereof, grippers, one member of which is fixedly attached to saidcarrier and the other member of which is pivoted thereto and bothmembers of which Work through the slot in the table, a projection fromsaid pivoted member, a cam-actuated lever for acting on said projectionto open the grippers as they approach the table, for taking the sheet tobe folded, and a cam-surface on said lever for acting on said projectionto open the grippers for liberating the sheet, and a spring for closingthe grippers, substantially as herein described.

11. The combination with a folding-table in which are two parallelslots, a cutting device for dividing a sheet on said table between saidslots, creasing-blades situated at the face of the table and arrangedrespectively one opposite each of saidslots, grippers, one set for eachof said creasing-blades, arranged respectively opposite said slots andblades, and means for producing a reciprocating motion of said grippersby which they are carried to and fro through said slots to crease thedivided sheets on said blade and withdraw them therefrom through theslots, substantially as herein described.

12. The combination with a folding-table, in which are parallel slots, acutting device for dividing a sheet on said table between said slots,creasing-blades arranged respectively one opposite each of said slotsand having movements laterally thereto for gathering in the dividedsheets from opposite directions, toward the cutting device, andgrippers, one set for each of said creasing-blades, arrangedrespectively opposite said slots and blades, substantially as herein.described.

13. The combination with a folding-table in which are parallel slots andon which is a sheet-stop arranged transversely to said slots, of sheetfeeding devices running parallel with said slots, a cutting device fordividing a sheet on said table between said slots, creasing-bladesarranged respectively one opposite each of said slots and havingmovements laterally thereto for gathering in the divided sheets fromopposite directions toward the cutting device,'and grippers, one set foreach of said creasing-blades arranged respectively opposite said slotsand blades, substantially as herein described.

14. In folding apparatus, the combination of a table in which is a slot,a creasing-blade at the face of said table opposite said slot, agripper-carrier at the back of said table opposite said slot and blade,a pair of grippers of which one member is fixedly attached and the otherpivotally attached to said carrier,

means for first moving said gripper-carrier and blade to bring thefixedly-attached gripper member and the blade side by side in nearproximity to each other at the face of the table with a space betweenthem and means for afterward operating the pivotallyattached grippermember to pinch the sheet between the grippers and the blade at the faceof the table, substantially as herein described.

15. The combination of a table in which are two parallel slots, acutting device for dividing a sheet on said table between said slots,creasing-blades at the face of said table arranged respectively, oneopposite each of said slots, gripper-carriers at the back of said tablearranged respectively opposite said slots and blades, a pair of grippersfor each creasing-blade, one member of each of said pairs being fixedlyattached to and the other member pivotally attached to its respectiveRALPH O. SEYMOUR.

Witnesses FREDK. HAYNES, HENRY PHIEME.

